Automatic crossing guard



July 14, 1925.

A. S. HOGGATT AUTOMATIC CROSSING GUARD 2 Sheet Filed March 19; 1924 July 14, 1925. 1,546,073

A. S. HOG GATT AUTOMATIC CROSS INS GUARD Filed March 19, 1924 2 SheetsSheet 2 gwuentoz Patented July 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,545,073 PATENTIjo Fics.

ALFRED s. HOGGATT, or DEMON-HARBOR, increment AUTOMATIC {CROSSING-GUARD}; I

Application filed March 19, 1924. Serial No. 700,306,

To all whom it concern:

a citizen of the United States, resident at Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented a new Automatic Crossing Guard, of which the following is a specification.

.This invention relates to improvements in automatic 'railway crossing gates and has as its general object to provide a crossing gate and means for automatically elevating and lowering the same in accordance with the passage of trains over the crossing, so

that the services of awatchman at the cross:

ing will not be required. r 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple mechanism, operated by' a train approaching the crossing from either direction, for effecting a lowering of the crossing gate or gates before the train reaches the crossing, and likewise eflecting an automatic raising of the gate orgates after the train has passed the crossing, the the arrangement being such that after a train has passed the crossing, the'parts-of the mechanism will be automatically reset for subsequent operation.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sec- IW tional view, partly in elevation, illustrating one of the trip mechanisms constituting a part. of the. invention and one of which me hanisms is located at each sideof the crossing.

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating one of the crossing gates and the means provided for raising and lowering the same.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, in detail. illustrating in full and dotted lines, the manner in which the two companion trip mechanisms are operated in consonance with each other.

Figure 4: is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating a F portion of the mechanism.

Referring first to Figure 2 of the drawings, the crossing gate is indicated in general by the numeral 1, and the said gate is fixed upon a shaft 2 which is rotatably mounted in the upper portion of a housing 3 which, in turn, is embedded at its lower portion in a foundation 4 of concrete or other material laid in the roadbed at the side of the crossing. It will be understood at this point, that a pair of the gates will I be employedwherethe crossin is relatively Be it lcnown that I, ALFRED S. Hoccx'rr,

narrowfl and two pairswill e .emplo. edv where the crossin g is comparativelyw de, the structure shown in Figure ;2 Ebeing identical for each of. the gates; or,; if, desired, a. connection of any suitable nature may be employedbetweentwo companion gates so that only one ,of the raisingv and lowering mechanisms, need be employed, and associated ,wi'th one of said gates, j However, such arrangements. are not illustrated, in the drawings as they. eon's'titute 7. no; part of the nfla on: nd are to. be le t o t e ju g o'f thpfse manufacturing andZeQrectingI the gates and their associated mechanisms. Fixed upon ,the Shaft 2 withinthefhousing 3, is a crank disc ficarryin'g alcrank pin 6 to vwhich is connected the .upper end of a link 7, the lower end of the ,said link being pivotally connected, as-at 8, withthe upper end of a rock arm 9 pivotally mounted as at :10,. upo n. abearing '11 within-the said housing 3 The arm 9. is formed in its lower portion and below the pivot in, with a longitudinal slot 12, and a mem er 13 is suitably-mounted uponthis portion ofthe arm to work longitudinally inthe slot, and a cable 14, to be hereinafter-more fully described, is secured. in any'suitable manner to the said member 13, as best shown in Figure 2.. The cable 14 has its stretches which extend from either side of the-member 13, .passed over pulleys 15 'mounted within the housing 3, and the said stretches are then led through suitable conduits 16 formed in the foundation 4.and to other parts of the mechanism which will presently be described. ,At this point it will be understood that when a pull is exerted upon one stretch of thecable, for example that stretch extending toward the right in Figure 2 of the drawings, the lever arm 9 will be rocked about its pivot 10 to substantially the dot and dash line position shown in Figure 2, thereby exerting a downward pull upon the link 7 and causing the shaft 2 to rotate in a direction to lower the gate 1. ,On the other hand, when a pull is exerted upon the other stretch of the cable 14, or, in other words that stretch which extends toward the left in the said Figure 2, the arm 9 will be rocked in a reverse direction to assume substantiallyv the dot and dash line position shown in the said figure, in assuming which position, a downward pull will also be ex;

and 37 are presented to that side of the pick-up rod or bar in which the notch 36 is formed, the head 38 bein located opposite the said notch but out of engagement therein, and the head being in direct engagement with the said edge of the bar, due to the pull exerted upon, the bar by the spring 27. The coaction of these parts will be explained in the description of the operation of the mechanism which will be hereinafter given.

To control the bar 25 under conditions to be presently explained, a cable 42 is connected at its opposite ends to the bars 25 of the associated trip mechanisms and is led about ulleys 43 arranged within the respective Foundations 18, and clamped at each respective end portion in a sleeve 44 pivotally connected with the lower end of an angle lever 45, the said lever being pivotally mounted at the. juncture of its arms, as at 46, upon a bracket arranged within the said housing of the foundation. The other arm of the angle lever, indicated by the numeral 47, extends normally substantially horizontally and beneath the lower end of the pick-up bar 25, and it will be evident by reference to Figure 3, that the cable 42 has a stretch extending over the pulleys 33 and between the two associated trip mechanisms.

Assuming that the parts are in the normal positionsv illustrated in full lines in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, in which positions of the parts the trip members 19 will bevelevated and the gates 1 will be raised, the operation of the mechanism is as follows, assuming that a train is approaching the crossing from the right in the said figures. reference being also had, in this connection, to Figure 1. As the train passes over the trip member 19 at the right of the crossing, the said member will be depressed against the tension'of the spring 22, thereby moving the pick-up rod 25 downwardly until it assumes the lowered broken line position shown inFigure 3, at the right, the right hand trip mechanism in this figure being indicated by the reference letter R and the left hand'trip mechanism by the reference letter L. In this movement of the arm, the notch 36 will be lowered to a position opposite the head 35 at the end of the arm 34 and the angle lever 45 will be rocked, due to the downward pressure exerted by the rod 25 against the arm 47 of said lever, thereby slackening the stretch of the cable 42 between the connection 44 and its end which is connected to the said bar 25. The spring 27 is, in the meantime, exerting a pull upon the bar 25 to hold the same in the direction of the head 35 and as the engagingelement upon the locomotive of the train rides past the trip member 19, the spring 92 vsill act to return the trip member to its elevated or normal position, at which time the head 35 will be in engagement in the notch 36, and the upward movement of the bar'25 will effect a rocking movement of the cable actuating lever 31. In this move ment of the lever 31, the lever will assume the dotted line position shown in Figure at the right, the arms 34 and 37 being at this time swung upwardly through the upward movement of the pick-up bar 25. In

this movement of the lever 31, a pull will cable will. likewise result in a movement of the .lever 31 of the trip mechanism L in Figure 3, to the dotted line position shown in said figure. The parts will maintain the positions which they have now assumed until thetrain has reached the other trip member 19 of the trip mechanism L, when said member 19 of the said left hand trip mechanism will be depressed to lower the respective pick-up bar 25 and actuate the respective angle lever 45 to exert a pull upon the cable 42 in the reverse direction to that above described and thereby swing the pick-up rod 25 of the trip mechanism R in Figure 3, out of engagement with the head 35 at the end of the arm 34 and permitting the lever 31 to return to its normal position under the influence of the spring 41 associated therewith. At the same time, the pick-up rod 25 of the trip mechanism L will pick up the end 38 of the-arm 37 of the respective lever 31 and, through rocking movement of the lever 31, a pull will be exerted upon the cable 14 toward the left in Figure 3 and likewise in Figure 2, so as to again rock the lever 9 but in an opposite direction so as to exert an upward thrust upon the link 7 and raise the gate or gates 1. Of course, in the instance of a train approaching the crossing from the left, the same operation will take place except that the left hand trip member 19 or, in other words, the trip member of the trip mechanism L, in Figure 3, will be the first to be depressed to effect a lowering of the gate or gates.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: i

1. In an automatic railway crossing gate, in combination with the gate to be operated,

counterpart trip mechanisms located oppositeli beyond the gate, each mechanism comprising a depressible trip member, means yieldably resisting-depression thereof and for returning the same to normal position when depressed and then relieved of pressure, a lever having an outstanding arm, operative connection between the levers of the two trip mechanisms and the gate for operating the latter when either lever is actuated, and means actuated through depression of said member and coacting with the arm of the respective lever to actuate the latter upon return movement of the tripmember to normal position.

2. In an automatic railway crossing gate,

" in combination with the gate to be operated,

tion utter (lQPlOSSlOII, a lever, operativecontrip' nember and coa'cting with'the respec tire lever to actuate the Patter upon return nc-ction between the levers oi the two'trip mechanisms and the gate forolierating'the latter when either lever is ac ua'ted,=' and meansactuated through depressionof the movement of the trip 'memberto norin alpo; sition. 3-. In an automatic railway crossing gate,

' combination with the gate'to be operated,

counterpart trip mechanisms located oppositely beyond the gate, each'mecha'nismcom prising a deoressible trip member, means 'iclrlably resisting depression-thereof and for returning the same 'to'norma'l position when depressed and then relieved of pressure, a lever having outstanding upper and lower arms, operative connection'between the levers of the twotrip me'ehanisms'and the gate for operating the"latter when either lever is actuated, and apick up membersus pended from the trip member and having a seat therein for the selective engagement of the ends of the arms of the lever to effect actuation of'thelever upon return movement of the trip member to norma position.

4. In an automatic railway crossing gate,

in combination with the gate to be operated, means associated with the gate to efi'ect raising";- and lowering thereof, counterpart trip mcci-mnisms located oppositely beyond the grate, each of said mechanisms comprising a dcprcssible trip member, means yieldably resisting- (lepression thereof and for returning the same to normaliposiflti'on when depressed and then relieved 'ofi' pressure, a lever, a connection extending between the levers of the trip mechanisms and operatively connected at an intermediate point with an element of the raising and lowering means for the gate, andmeans carried" by the said trip member of each tripmechanism for coaction with the said lever to actuate the same upon return movement of the trip member to normal position, whereby successive depression of the trip members of the two mechanisms will effect shifting of the said connection in opposite directions to :znd thenrelieved of pressure, a lever assovista-("e with each tripmechanism and inclu'd upper and lower arms, a pick-up bar suspended fromeach trip member and positioned'tocoactfwith the-ends of'the arms of the res ketive lever, each bar having means in coa'ctionjwi-th the "ends of the arms of the respectivedeverwhen thebar is lowered thij ughfdc"'ession of the respective trip membcr aiji "then 'moved' upwardly at the time offreturn of the trip'memberto normal petition. 5r'ndaconnecti0n extending between the. said levers and operatively connected at :nrintermediatc point to the said element of the raising and lowering means for the gate. 6: In anarutomatic railway crossing gate, iii-combination with the gate to be operated; means associatedwith the'gate for raising a mi lowering the same when an element of sziid means is operated, counterpart trip mechanisms located oppositely beyond the gate. cacli'of said mechanisms comprising a depiessihlje trip member, means yieldabl} resisting depression thereof and for returning t-liesame' tonormalposition when depressed and then relieved'octpressure, a lever associated with each trip mechanism and incl'uding'upper and lower arms, a pick-up bar suspended from each trip member and positioned to coast with the ends of the arms of; the respective lever, each bar having means for coaction with the ends of the arms of the respective lever when the bar is lowered through depression of the respective trip member and then moved upwardly at thctinie'of return of the trip member to normal osition, a connection extending be tween the said levers and operatively connected atan intermediate point to the said element of the raising and lowering means for the gate, and meansactuated through the downward movement of each pick-up bar to effect displacement of-the other bar at the time the first mentioned bar is active.

ALFRED S'. HOGGATT.

the sa' ine to normal position when depressed 

